


Rekindled

by MistressArafax



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Eventual Smut, M/M, Original Character(s), Parenthood, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 05:18:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressArafax/pseuds/MistressArafax
Summary: Joey's life has not turned out as he'd hoped. In his mid-thirties and far more like his father than he ever wanted to be, a chance encounter with Kaiba might help him get things back in order.





	1. Chance Encounter

Standing outside the bar, phone to his ear, Joey Wheeler frowned. Like any other Friday except this one was a special day. He waited for a few seconds and then heard the phone picked up. “Hello?”

“Happy birthday, Alyssa!” he said enthusiastically.

“Thanks, Daddy,” she replied cheerily. “I wish you could be here.”

He paused for a moment, taking in the words, realizing exactly how much he was disappointing her. How much like his own father he had become. “I wish I could be there, too.”

“Will I get to see you soon?” she asked.

“I hope so. I gotta find a place to live, and then I’ll have you and Adam come spend the weekend with me.”

“Okay! I’m gonna go, Daddy,” she said abruptly. “My friends are here for my birthday party, and I don’t want them to wait for me.”

“That’s fine, sweetie,” he said. He didn’t want to interrupt her in the middle of her fun. “I’ll talk to ya later, okay?”

“Okay!” she agreed “Bye, Daddy!”

“Bye, Alyssa,” he said, but she was already gone. He could hear the phone being passed off to someone else.

"Daddy!"

His son. "Adam!" he exclaimed. "How's my little man?"

"Good," the five-year-old replied with a giggle.

"You behavin' for Mommy?"

"Mmhmm."

"Good," Joey said affectionately.

"I miss you, Daddy," Adam said in a small voice. 

"I miss you, too, buddy," Joey answered, a pang of longing seizing his heart. God, he missed his kids so much.

Adam babbled on for a while, telling Joey about his toys and friends, until eventually someone in the background told him that it was time to get off the phone. A distinctly female voice. The voice of his ex-wife.

"Mommy says I gotta go. Bye bye, Daddy."

"Bye, Adam," Joey said gently, heart still aching. He heard the sound of the phone transferring hands yet again.

“Hey, Joey,” his ex-wife greeted.

“Hey, Em. How’s it going?”

“Busy. A bunch of eight-year-old girls is surprisingly rambunctious,” she said with a laugh. “How are you?”

Joey wasn’t sure how to answer his former wife. His life felt like it had fallen apart recently. He’d taken a pay cut at work and, consequently, been kicked out of his apartment. His car needed a new transmission, and he couldn’t afford to get it replaced, so it just sat at the mechanic’s shop where he worked. He was living in Tristan’s spare bedroom, which he would have to vacate before long because Tristan’s wife had announced she was pregnant a month earlier, and the spare room would be becoming the baby’s room. His trashed credit made it nearly impossible to find an apartment, much less one that he could have his kids come stay in for a visit.

He sighed heavily, running a hand down his face. “Alright, I guess,” he finally answered.

“I can bring the kids for a visit if you want to see them. I know you’re in a tough spot right now, and they keep asking when they’re going to see you again.”

“I know. I feel bad. It was easier when ya lived in the city.”

“Yeah, but we needed a bigger place.”

“I know, I know. I’m just givin' ya a hard time. Ya remarried and had another kid. It’s jus’ tough.” A bit of a lie because he certainly did want her to feel guilty.

“Mmm,” she agreed. “Well, the offer stands. Summer vacation is coming up, and we could definitely bring them up to see you for a day or two.”

Joey couldn’t pass up the offer, not when he desperately wanted to see Alyssa and Adam again. “Yeah. Okay.”

“We can talk details later. Anyway, I better get back to monitoring the girls. I hope you have a good weekend, Joey.”

“Yeah, you too,” Joey returned. “And tell your husband I said, 'Hi'."

"Will do," Emily agreed. After the phone conversation ended, Joey tucked his phone back into his pocket. He exhaled loudly and then headed into the bar, the cacophonous sound of drunks ringing in his ears. He would be joining them in drunkenness shortly. Another sad way he'd become like his father. The $30 in his pocket wasn't going to get him a new apartment nor would it pay for car repairs, but it could offer him a temporary reprieve from his shitty, futile existence. He understood his dad now more than ever before, and despite vowing to never be like the man, anything to feel a little better was a welcome distraction.

He let himself collapse on the bar stool. "Rough day, Joe?" the bartender asked.

"No more than normal," he returned. 

"What can I do for you then?"

"Double shot of vodka, bottom shelf. And a tall glass of the cheapest beer you have on tap."

"Coming right up."

His drinks arrived quickly. The vodka burned its way down his throat. The beer washed away the burn, though it tasted like piss. That didn't stop him from ordering three more glasses. While waiting for the fourth, he buried his face in his arms on the bar top.

It was only moments later when he heard a sneered, “Wheeler.”

He recognized that voice instantly. To this day, Seto Kaiba still made appearances in his dreams to mock him. Though what the dream version of him said was far worse now since there was so much more ammunition. Not that Kaiba would have known about Joey's life in general. Still, Kaiba's disdain and antagonism had made a lasting impression and manifested itself in dreams often enough despite the many years that had passed. Joey wasn't even sure how many. Fifteen? Eighteen? Whatever. It didn't matter.

"Go away," Joey muttered, not moving. "I ain't dealin' with ya right now."

"You look like shit."

"Fuck off, Kaiba."

Kaiba growled. "Don't call me that, moron."

Joey's face bunched in confusion. Kaiba had never taken issue with being called 'Kaiba' before. Ever. He picked his head up and looked behind him to stare at the total stranger with Seto Kaiba's voice, wearing a black t-shirt, skinny jeans, and combat boots. His face was obscured with sunglasses even though it was night and his hair held back with a baseball cap.

“I didn’t know ya had a forehead,” Joey quipped. “Also, you’re dressed like a douche. I suppose that’s jus’ normal for you, though.”

Kaiba pulled off the sunglasses and rolled his eyes before sitting down next to Joey. A surprise in and of itself since Kaiba hated him. Or did he? This whole interaction struck Joey as weird. Maybe Joey was more drunk than he thought. Kaiba gave his order to the bartender, setting out a crisp $50 bill. 

“So what are ya doin’ here at this  _ fine _ establishment?”

“None of your business.”

“Seems a lil’ below your price range. And dressed down like one of us plebs?”

“Did I not just say that it’s none of your business, Wheeler?”

“Hey, you’re the one who came and talked to me first, but whatever, man.”

“A mistake on my part,” Kaiba said flatly. But he didn’t move from the stool next to Joey, and when he got his drink, the bartender slid another double shot in front of him.

“What’s this?” Joey asked.

The bartender pointed his thumb at Kaiba. “From your friend.”

Joey scowled at the wording and immediately caught a similar expression on Kaiba’s face. At Joey's questioning look, Kaiba explained, “I’m feeling magnanimous today, and you look like you could use more than beer.”

“Well, ya ain’t wrong. Thanks.” Though he wasn't one hundred percent sure what 'magnanimous' meant.

Joey spun the shot glass around in circles, debating whether or not to drink it. He appreciated Kaiba getting it for him, but he had already had quite a bit to drink and knew the double shot would knock him out. He wasn't quite ready to deal with the embarrassment that would come along with being wasted in front of Kaiba.

The brunet sat beside him, slamming back shots in silence. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but Joey was keenly aware that they'd never spent so much time together without fighting. There had been a few jabs, but mostly just quiet. And Kaiba had chosen to speak to him and sit down next to him. Joey didn't think too much on it, but it was kind of nice to have a drinking companion for once.

Joey gave Kaiba a thorough look over as they sat there together. Other than his strangely normal clothing, Kaiba looked older. He had wrinkles developing around his eyes and mouth and gray hairs growing in what Joey could see of his hair. He looked worn down. Joey understood that feeling. He was worn down too.

Kaiba was on his fifth shot when Joey finally decided to take the shot Kaiba had gotten him. The top shelf vodka went down with decidedly less burn, but Joey felt the effects instantly. A little lightheaded and nauseous, he rested his head on his arms again.

"I didn't think you were a lightweight, Wheeler," Kaiba commented.

"I'm not. Jus' had a lot before this. Plus ya now...beer before liquor."

"You really are an idiot."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." He didn't care enough to argue against Kaiba's insults. 

"You're just going to take that from me?" Kaiba asked, but Joey couldn't tell what emotion was hanging in his tone. "That's not like you."

"I already know I'm a deadbeat and a loser, so why bother? Ain't got no reason to deny it."

"Why?" Kaiba asked sharply, seeming upset.

Joey chuckled to himself. A self-deprecating laugh. He picked his head up and glanced over at Kaiba, who watched him expectantly, awaiting an answer. He sighed. "Well, I ain't seen my kids in like four months. I'm supposed to have 'em every other weekend, but I got kicked outta my apartment after takin' a pay cut at work. I ain't got no where they can stay, and I got no way to get out to visit 'em either. And today's my daughter's birthday, and I can't even see her. I'm the worst fuckin' father ever."

Kaiba hummed thoughtfully. "You're a shitty father, but certainly not the worst."

"That's just  _ so _ encouragin'," Jounouchi returned sarcastically.

Kaiba shrugged and said nothing else, sliding another double shot to Joey. He didn't even bother to think about this one, taking it down with one swallow. The effect was instantaneous, and his already tenuous grasp of reality faded to black.

-

Joey woke up with a terrible hangover. Considering that he’d blacked out, he didn’t find that surprising. However, he had no idea where he was. The headache pulsing behind his eyes didn’t help with trying to piece things together. The room was dark and cool, much cooler than Tristan's spare room in August, and the bed far more comfortable than anything he’d ever slept in before. He didn’t know how he’d gotten here, but he was aware that he was still wearing the clothes he’d had on. That was a relief, if nothing else. The last thing he’d recalled was drinking with Kaiba, which was laughable. He’d have dismissed it as his imagination or a dream, except it had definitely been real.

Groaning, he pulled himself out of bed and was instantly rewarded with churning nausea for his efforts. He raced to the attached bathroom, his way lit by a dim night light, and he then promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. He couldn't tell how long he stayed hunched over the toilet, but eventually, he stood, rinsed his mouth, and wearily decided to figure out where he was.

Wandering back into the bedroom, he noted the navy bedding. The rest of the room was simple. A dresser, a closet, and sparse decorations. The hardwood floor was cold under his socked feet as he walked to the door. Opening it, he came face to face with a little boy, maybe five years old.

"Who are you?" the kid demanded.

"Who am I? Name's Joey Wheeler. Who are you, kid?"

The boy smirked, putting his hands on his hips. There was something familiar about him, but Joey couldn't place it. "Kentaro."

Joey held back a sigh. "Okay, Kentaro, where am I?"

"My house."

Damn, this kid was frustrating.

A male voice called from down the hall. "Kentaro, where are you? Ken!"

Without a word, the kid slipped passed Joey, scrambling into the room Joey had been trying to leave. "Shhh, mister. Don't tell Daddy where I am."

As the boy's father approached, he pieced everything together. Walking toward him was none other than Mokuba Kaiba, in boxers and a t-shirt and his black hair now cut short but still unruly. All grown up and with a kid of his own. A kid that looked almost identical to him, which was why Joey thought he looked familiar. But it meant he was definitely in the Kaiba manor, which was at least somewhat reassuring.

"Joey?" Mokuba asked incredulously when he got close. "What are you doing here?"

Joey shrugged. "Don't know. Ran into your brother at the bar last night. Blacked out. Now I'm here."

Mokuba pursed his lips, before remarking, "Weird."

"I got a terrible hangover. Can I uh...get some coffee?"

"Yeah. Just hold on and let me find my son, Kentaro."

Without saying a word, Joey pointed at the room behind him with his thumb. Mokuba smiled impishly. "I wonder where he could be."

Joey bit back a laugh. At least growing up hadn't changed Mokuba's mischievous personality. "No idea. We should go find him."

Mokuba headed down the hall, and Joey followed after, leaving Mokuba's son to hide in the room Joey had slept in. They arrived at the kitchen, and Mokuba promptly poured him a cup of coffee.

"Need anything else?" Mokuba asked. "We should have some painkillers around somewhere."

"I think I'll be okay. Thanks though." Joey sat down at the island in the kitchen, sipping at his coffee.

Mokuba stood across from him, taking a swig of his own coffee. "So seriously, Joey, what are you doing here?"

"No clue. I guess your brother brought me here after I blacked out."

Mokuba raised a brow. "That's...strange. He doesn't do stuff like that."

Joey shrugged and took another sip of coffee. "He said he was feelin'... What did he say? Magnanimous?"

"Which still doesn't sound like him. Your guess is as good as mine. You could go ask him. He's likely up and working in his study. And I can get you some breakfast if you want it."

"Nah," Joey denied. "I'm good. Gotta get back." He didn't feel like telling Mokuba about his living situation so he left out mentioning that 'back' was to Tristan's place.

Joey quietly finished the rest of his coffee. "It was nice seein' ya, Mokuba. Tell your brother I said thanks."

"Do you want a ride?"

"I'll be fine. No worries." Joey could feel the fake, reassuring smile on his face.

"Yeah. Okay. See ya later, Joey."

"See ya," Joey replied, wandering out the front door after sliding his sneakers on, and walking the long way back to Tristan's spare room.

-

Mokuba was perplexed. Seto  _ never _ brought anyone to the manor. He wasn't naive. He knew about his brother's occasional weekend rendezvous. He'd get dressed up, down really, and go out for a hookup. Seto always returned before Mokuba woke up, and they never talked about it. They had an unspoken agreement to not say anything about it, mostly because Seto would be extremely uncomfortable and defensive no matter how Mokuba chose to approach it.

But Seto had brought Joey home, and from what Mokuba could tell, nothing had happened between them. Seto hooking up with Joey would be strange anyway, considering how much Seto had looked down on Joey back in the day. Still, Mokuba couldn’t shake his curiosity, and he went straight to the source, barging into Seto’s study with breakfast in hand.

Seto didn’t look up from his computer screen, glasses perched on his nose as he typed away at something. Mokuba set the coffee and bagel down on Seto’s desk before asking, “Why was Joey here last night?”

“He needed a place to stay,” Seto replied, disinterested and still typing.

“Okay… But why?”

Seto finally stopped typing and looked up at him, lips downturned. “I coincidentally met him at the bar last night. He was quite intoxicated so I brought him back here.”

Mokuba cocked an eyebrow. “What bar did you go to that you ran into Joey?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Mokuba scowled, but he knew better than to push Seto after such a terse response. Seto didn't want it to be any of his business. It only made him more curious, but he switched his approach. "It was awfully nice of you to bring him here. Like...too nice. You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Seto returned quickly. "He and I simply made an arrangement."

"What arrangement?" Mokuba asked, perplexed. "He didn't mention any arrangement to me."

"He will be renting a room from me. I'm getting the paperwork drawn up now for him to sign this morning."

Blinking in surprise, Mokuba drew his thoughts together. "Umm...I don't think he remembered that. He didn't mention it before he left."

"What?" Seto asked sharply. "He left?"

Mokuba nodded. "Yeah. He blacked out. He didn't know where he was until he saw me this morning. So whatever agreement you made while he was wasted, you might want to go remind him about it. He walked out of here like five minutes ago. Maybe ten."

Angry and grumbling under his breath, Seto stood up and marched past Mokuba and down the stairs. He'd whipped out his phone and promptly made a call. The last thing Mokuba heard before he slammed the front door was, "Bring my car around."

-

Kaiba still whispered curses under his breath as he whipped onto the road. Wheeler was one of the most irritating human beings Kaiba had ever met, able to get under his skin with only a few words. Or actions, as was currently the case. 

Despite knowing that, something had drawn him to Wheeler last night. Curiosity or nostalgia, perhaps. He wasn't sure. None of it truly made any sense, even as he drove toward Domino to find the idiot.

He saw the man ambling down the side of the road on the distance and hurried to catch him. Skidding as he slammed on the brakes, he pulled his car off the side of the road, parking right in front the blonde. Kaiba stepped out of the car and almost laughed at how Wheeler's face contorted in shock and fear, glaring at him wide-eyed and mouth agape.

"Ya tryin' to put me outta my misery, Kaiba?"

Kaiba shrugged. "Wasn't my intent."

"Then what ya come speedin' after me like a bat outta hell for?"

"Why did you leave?" Kaiba demanded, arms crossed over his chest.

"To go home."

A scowl marred Kaiba's face. "You forgot our agreement."

"What agreement?" Wheeler asked, head cocked to the side. "In case ya didn't notice, I got fuckin' wasted. I don't remember much outs anythin'."

Kaiba sighed, then commanded, "Get in the car."

"Like hell I will 'til ya tell me what I agreed to."

"I offered to rent you a room in the manor. You agreed."

"Why the hell would ya do that? For me?"

Kaiba wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it had been the alcohol or the feeling of nostalgia seeing Wheeler again had dredged up. That little exhilarated thrill he felt when he'd spotted the blonde hair across the bar and excused himself from the other man he'd been talking to. He'd listened to Joey drunkenly lament not being able to see his children. It had spurred a feeling in intense empathy in him. 

Kaiba cleared his throat to answer, as Wheeler still stood waiting for one. "I suppose I felt bad for you. Moreso for your children, as I understand how it feels to be separated from a parent."

Wheeler's eyes softened. "So you're really sayin' that I can... let my kids come stay with me at your place?"

Kaiba nodded. "More or less. You will be renting a room in the manor. Just stay out of the way and don't bother anyone."

"Can do," Wheeler said, easily agreeing. "But if I'm movin' in, shouldn't I like...go bring my stuff over."

"I'm drawing up a contract now. Once you've read it over, agreed, and signed it, I'll send you over a vehicle to help you transport your things."

"Ehhh, I don't need all that help," Wheeler declined. "Ain't got much at the moment."

Kaiba wouldn't push it. If he said he didn't need help, Kaiba would take him at his word. "Suit yourself."

Wheeler climbed into the car with him, and they headed back to the manor. A bout of laughter came from Wheeler in the passenger seat. Kaiba glanced at him, eyebrow raised questioningly.

Wheeler shook his head. "S'nothin'. Just never imagined seein' ya in glasses."

"Hmmph." He would not respond to such pointless commentary.

Wheeler sat quietly for a moment before finally speaking again as Kaiba turned into the driveway. "It's a good look on you, Kaiba. Real...smart and sophisticated."

Shocked at the unexpected compliment, he drew a sharp breath but said nothing. Silence filled the small space between them, somewhat awkward but not especially uncomfortable.

Wheeler cleared his throat, drawing Kaiba's complete attention. "Thanks for this. I'll try and make sure I don't get under your skin or nothin' while I'm here."

Kaiba nodded. He and Wheeler were like oil and water, and living under the same roof would certainly do them no favors. He hoped they could get along, but Wheeler had already managed to get under his skin in this short period of time. Somehow, it was different than it had been in the past though. They were both different, he reasoned. Maybe that would be enough to make this work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just thought this situation where Joey is divorced and struggling to uphold his terms of split custody seemed fascinating. The specifics of what happened between Joey and his ex will be explored later.
> 
> Also, I apparently love names that begin with A and E. Lol!
> 
> Let me know what you think! ^^


	2. Mutual Confession

Joey almost thought he was having a dream or living in some kind of alternate reality as he walked into the Kaiba mansion carrying a box of his belongings. Tristan trailed behind him with another box, mouth hanging open just as wide.

"Seriously, man. Who'd have thought Kaiba'd give you a place to stay?"

"Yeah. It's crazy. But there ain't no givin'. I'm rentin’ a room, fair and square."

"Still, it's super nice here."

"Nicer than anythin' else I coulda ended up with."

And it was true. Nothing else would have been even close to being half as nice as the room he was renting from Kaiba. There were stipulations, of course, laid out in the renter’s agreement he’d signed, but it was generally common courtesy sorts of things that came with living with other people. No being noisy after 10 p.m. on weeknights. Don’t leave messes in the common areas. Kaiba had also requested he not bring any strangers inside either.  _ There is enough danger to me and my family without someone attempting to use you to hurt me _ . Kaiba had said it seriously, and Joey knew, from their shared history, just how true it likely was.

As they made their way into the foyer, Mokuba bounded up to them with a grin on his face. His son followed along behind him, smiling shyly. "Alright, Ken," Mokuba said, "You remember Mister Joey, right?"

"Yep!" the boy said enthusiastically.

"He's going to be living here with us."

Kentaro's eyes danced with his excitement, his smile radiant. "Will you play with me, Mister Joey?"

"'Course I will, kiddo! But later. Once I got my stuff put away, okay?"

Kentaro nodded and then raced away. Behind him, Tristan laughed and then said, "Cute kid ya got there, Mokuba."

"He's a handful," Mokuba answered with laughter in his tone. "My daughter is a little less rambunctious. Once you're settled in, I'll introduce you to her and my wife."

"A son and daughter, huh?" Joey mused aloud. "That's what I got too."

"I know," Mokuba said. "Seto told me when he said you'd be moving here that your kids would be visiting sometimes."

"Ahhh. Gotcha.”

Mokuba showed him to the room he’d be staying in, which was fully furnished and had an attached bathroom. It was exactly what Joey needed. He set the box he was carrying down, stretching his back. “Only got a couple more boxes to bring up,” he told Mokuba.

“That’s it?” Mokuba asked incredulously.

Joey shrugged. “Ain’t really had need for much stuff. Got rid of a lot when I got kicked out of the other apartment.”

“Oh…” Mokuba replied quietly. Clearly, that sort of instability hadn’t been a part of his life for a very long time. “Yeah… me and Seto didn’t have much beyond the clothes on our backs when we came here.”

Joey laughed, trying to relieve the awkward atmosphere Mokuba’s comment had created. “Hey, maybe livin’ here will help me make it big, too! It worked for the Kaiba brothers.”

Mokuba snickered, and Tristan rolled his eyes. The somber atmosphere had dissolved. “Whatever you say, Joey," Mokuba said. "Though seriously, if you need or want anything, let me know. I'll make sure you have anything you want."

Joey nodded, but it was solely out of politeness. He didn't want to give the impression that he was taking advantage of the Kaibas' generosity, so he’d never actually ask for anything. Joey would graciously accept the kind offer, but he'd never actually take Mokuba up on it.

He ran back downstairs with Tristan, grabbed his two remaining boxed, and took them back up to his room. Once finished, Mokuba took him on a tour. It was incredibly obvious that Mokuba was excited to have someone else in the house from the way he chattered away to him with a grin on his face. The manor was large; Mokuba had pointed out at least nine unused rooms. 

He eventually led them to Kaiba's office, stopping to explain, "I wouldn't go in there too often. He gets really focused on work, and if you disturb him, he usually gets grumpy."

"I wouldn't want to disturb him. Prolly for the best if we see as little of each other as possible, anyway."

Tristan and Mokuba both laughed.

"You're probably right about that," Tristan agreed.

"You'll be fine," Mokuba assured. "You probably won't see him too much. He stays pretty busy."

"Yeah…"

Mokuba led him the rest of the way through the house, stopping at what was clearly an entertainment center. Inside, a children’s program Joey recognized playing on the TV. A woman and two children sat on the couch, one of which was Kentaro, who quickly leaped to his feet and ran over, grabbing Joey’s hand and tugging at it. “Mister Joey! Let’s play!”

Joey smiled. “Okay, okay!”

Mokuba cleared his throat, and Kentaro stopped pulling. “Is that how you ask for something?”

Ken pouted and shook his head. The woman stood up, carrying the little girl toward them. Obviously, they were Mokuba’s wife and daughter. When they neared, the woman reach out a hand and ruffled Ken’s hair, instructing, “Try again, buddy.” Mokuba took the girl out of her arms.

“Mister Joey, will you please play with me?” Ken requested quietly.

“Sure,” Joey agreed, "but let me talk to your parents first.”

He nodded, puffing his cheeks out, and Mokuba chuckled. “Joey, this is my wife, Rosie, and our daughter, Sora.”

“Nice to meet ya,” Joey said, offering out his hand to shake.

Rosie smiled and returned the gesture, her handshake surprisingly firm for someone who looked so delicate. “Nice to meet you, Joey. Don’t mind Ken too much. He’s a bit of a wild child.” Her blue eyes danced with mischief as she laughed. Bright and happy.

“Sounds like his dad,” Tristan commented.

“Hey now,” Mokuba said, a slight blush blooming on his cheeks. “I wasn’t that wild.”

Joey grinned. “I don’t know… I seem to remember you climbing out windows and doing some questionable things.”

A grin formed on Rosie’s face. “The wild streak is definitely from me,” she said. “I was...a handful.”

Joey eyed the auburn-haired woman in surprise, wondering exactly what she’d done in her youth in order to say that. He decided he’d leave that conversation for another time.

“So it’s from both of you, then,” Tristan commented from beside him. “Good luck, you two. You’re gonna need it.”

Mokuba and Rosie both laughed, Mokuba reaching to take her hand and interlocking their fingers. Joey felt a pang of jealousy. Just like he always did when his friends displayed affection for their significant others. He missed that closeness far more than he missed sex. Having someone’s hand to hold. He didn’t miss his ex-wife, but he certainly missed the close companionship. He yearned for the contact, but he wasn’t sure how to go about getting what he wanted.

Ken distracted him from his thoughts, coming up and latching onto his hand and tugging. “Come on, Mister Joey!” It was a welcome distraction, both breaking up the moment and changing the subject.

“Are you sure that you don’t want to put away your stuff first?” Mokuba asked.

“Ehh, it’s fine. I’ll get to that later.”

Tristan cut in, announcing, “I guess I’ll head out. I’ll see ya later, bud.”

They shook hands, clapping each other on the back while Joey thanked him. “We’ll hang out before too long,” Joey promised.

With Tristan gone, Joey sat down on the floor with Ken, playing with his vast array of toys. Within moments, Joey had become the de facto babysitter, but he didn’t mind. Kentaro reminded of his own son, and being around the boy fulfilled him in it’s own unique way. Joey wondered if they’d ever asked Kaiba to babysit the kids. The idea of the stern CEO sitting down and playing with Ken put a smile on his face.

-

Kaiba hadn't seen more than an occasional glimpse of Wheeler for the first several weeks he'd been there, which was its own unique sort of frustration. He didn't necessarily want to see the blonde, but something about his scarcity drove Kaiba insane. Staying quiet, keeping to himself, not being a nuisance. If didn't mesh with what past experiences had taught him was the core of Wheeler's personality. The blonde had changed, for better or worse, and Kaiba hadn't expected it at all.

A soft knock against his study door disturbed him from his work. Someone from the staff bringing dinner, he assumed. It couldn't be Mokuba because Mokuba always just barged in loudly whenever he felt like. At this time at night, it was also unlikely to be his niece or nephew either. He looked up, rolled his neck with several resounding pops, and called, "Come in."

The door opened slowly, and Wheeler crept in meekly, closing the door behind him. "Hey, Kaiba. Sorry to bother ya." He approached the desk and stood before him, head bowed.

"What do you want?" Kaiba asked with a sigh. Kaiba easily discerned the familiar posture as that of someone wanting to ask him for something. But Kaiba found the timid pose did not suit Wheeler at all.

"I uhh...ya said I could bring my kids here, yeah?"

"That is part of the arrangement we made, yes."

Wheeler breathed a sigh of relief. "Cool. I just wanted to check. And let ya know that they'll be here next weekend, if that's okay."

"It's fine."

"Alright. I'll let ya get back to what ya were doin'."

He turned to walk out the door, and then Kaiba called out to him. He didn’t want Wheeler to leave yet. “Stay for a moment.”

Wheeler turned around, confused, but listened to the request and walked back toward the desk. “What do ya need?”

Kaiba took a deep breath before asking, “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I ain’t avoidin’ you. I been busy workin’, and I’ve been tryin’ not to bother ya.”

“And yet, that bothers me.”

“Really?” Wheeler asked. “Not seein’ me is botherin’ you? Never thought I’d see the day.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and stood up from his desk. He walked to the door. “Come have a drink with me.”

Wheeler didn’t seem especially thrilled at the prospect, but he followed along after Kaiba anyway, walking downstairs to the sitting room with a fancy bar area. Kaiba went to grab a bottle of bourbon and glasses, and Wheeler sat down on the black leather couch.

As Kaiba sat down and offered up a glass of bourbon, the silence settled in again. Awkward but not quite uncomfortable. Kaiba took a sip of his drink. “Say something,” he commanded.

“What do ya want me to say?” Wheeler asked and Kaiba shrugged in return. “This is weird, right? You and me sittin’ here drinkin’?”

“Only as strange as you find it.”

“I do find it strange, yeah. We used to hate each other. And now ya wanna talk to me. Ya doin’ this just to mock me?”

Kaiba shook his head. “No,” he affirmed.

“Then what do ya want? What is…? Why are ya doin’ all of this?”

Kaiba couldn’t say. Not clearly, though the last few weeks had given him some idea of his motivations. “I suppose… I want some companionship,” Kaiba said carefully, keeping his eyes fixed forward.

“So ya picked me? Maybe ya oughtta get your head checked out.”

Kaiba smirked, bringing the bourbon to his lips and taking a sip. After he swallowed, he replied, "Perhaps."

"Seriously, though? You really only want my 'companionship'? I find that hard to believe."

Kaiba pursed his lips, trying to determine what to say, catching Wheeler’s hard gaze. “I never hated you, you know. I didn’t understand you. You were the antithesis of everything I stood for at the time, and it irked me to no end how you could simply accept a loss and bounce back.”

“What’s ‘at gotta do with companionship?” Joey asked, taking a swig of bourbon.

“Nothing,” Kaiba said. “But you… you understand me.”

Joey’s eyes lingered on him, their gazes meeting, steady and even. His heart thumped in his chest as their shared looked lingered. That same uncomfortable feeling from every time they'd stared each other down on a Duel Monsters field crept through him. That same irrational feeling Wheeler always caused to flare up in him, and the same exact feeling that had spurred him into inviting to Wheeler to live at the manor.

"I think I do. More ‘an I used to, at least."

Kaiba blinked, composing himself. He'd gotten distracted and forgotten that he'd been expecting an answer. Wheeler...distracting him? He sighed. Wheeler's absence had been distracting him, and his presence was just as bad. It confirmed Kaiba's suspicions that he had some unexplored interest in Wheeler.

He cleared his throat, hoping to move the conversation forward. "I would like a companion at times. And I can think of no one else around who would understand," Kaiba finally said.

"So ya want a drinkin' buddy?"

"Something like that."

Wheeler hummed. "Well, as long as ya don't make fun of me, I don't mind."

Kaiba nodded. He finished his drink while Wheeler did the same, before refilling their glasses.

"Can I ask ya somethin'?" Wheeler asked. When Kaiba nodded, he continued, "What were ya doing at that bar?”

Kaiba frowned but opted to be honest. “If you must know, I was out trying to find a partner for the night.”

“Huh?” Wheeler asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

“A fuck, Wheeler. I was trying to find someone to fuck.”

Wheeler burst out laughing, nearly spilling his glass. “God, Kaiba, I didn’t realize ya were such a dog.”

“Please. That title still belongs to you.”

“I ain't gone to a bar to find some stranger to fuck so...nope. What's your type?"

Kaiba groaned, reluctant to answer. No one had ever asked him that particular question, and only Mokuba knew the truth. "Muscular, a bit shorter than me, tanned, and a little rough around the edges." As he said it, he realized that Wheeler ticked all of those boxes. 

Wheeler was looking at him, perplexed. "Wait…are you...gay? 'Cause that kinda sounds like you're describing a guy."

Kaiba nodded, finishing his glass quickly to wash away the self consciousness, feeling the burn down his throat.

Wheeler chuckled, easy and relaxed. "I shoulda known. God, it's so obvious now that ya told me."

Kaiba grunted, still uncomfortable. He'd never mentioned it to anyone else, but Wheeler’s easy acceptance made it a little better. The alcohol didn’t hurt either.

Wheeler put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "I understand. It ain't an easy thing to accept 'bout yourself. Or to come out."

Kaiba looked over at him, noticing the far-off look on his eyes and the way he gripped the glass in his hand more tightly. "You're speaking from experience," Kaiba remarked.

Wheeler flushed, opening and closing his mouth as he floundered to find something to say. "I uh...yeah."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not really, but…uhh...I ain't ever told anyone the real truth of why I got divorced. Jus' cuz it ain't easy to come out. I figured it out over time, and I didn’t really know what to do ‘bout it. My ex-wife figured it out too, and when she did, she said it would be better for us to split. 'You're gay, and I don't think it's fair on either of us to keep on stayin’ together.' Ain't like I got any hard feelin's toward her 'cause of it. Mostly jus' miss seein' my kids. God, why am I tellin' ya any of this?" Wheeler laughed awkwardly. "Comin' out to you of all the fuckin' people when I literally can’t bring myself to tell anyone else."

“Mokuba’s the only one.”

“That ya told? Yeah, that makes sense.” Wheeler sighed heavily. “Even when people ask me why me and Emmy split, I never say why. Jus’ that it wasn’t workin’ out.”

“Mmm,” Kaiba acknowledged.

“She hasn’t said nothin’ either, which I really appreciate.”

“I won’t say anything,” Kaiba assured.

Wheeler breathed in relief. “Thanks.”

The silence after that was no longer uncomfortable, something like peace and understanding settling in around them. The confession surprised him. He hadn’t expected Wheeler to actually be gay, but it had wild thoughts running through his mind. Uncomfortable thoughts.

He finished his glass and stood up. Wheeler did so, as well. “Hey, Kaiba. Thanks for tonight. And everythin’ else, too. I really appreciate it.”

“Mmm,” Kaiba hummed.

Quietly, they made their way back upstairs, going their separate ways. Kaiba threw a look over his shoulder, watching Wheeler disappear around the bend in the hallway. He’d looked back, as well, their eyes meeting for just a second. Kaiba didn’t miss the blush staining Wheeler’s cheeks.

-

Joey tossed and turned in bed, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that he’d told Kaiba he was gay. Kaiba had confided the exact same thing to him, too. It was likely both of their biggest secrets, and that he’d told Kaiba, that Kaiba had told him, was almost unbelievable.

Knowing that fact did make him reconsider all of their past interactions and the strangely tense chemistry between them. Maybe it had always been something more, he considered. He also couldn't stop thinking about how Kaiba had been in the bar for a hookup. And how Kaiba had chosen to bring him home instead. He wondered if there was more to it than just wanting to help him see his children. It was hard not to wonder about. However, neither of them had known about the other's sexuality until less than an hour ago. Attraction absolutely couldn't have factored into Kaiba's decisions.

He groaned and flopped onto his stomach. He liked things a lot simpler, and whatever was happening between him and Kaiba was making things much too complicated. Though he could hardly consider it Kaiba’s fault. Still, he hadn’t missed the way Kaiba’s eyes lingered on him. He could feel the lust in the way Kaiba had said  _ ‘I was trying to find someone to fuck’ _ . Joey had clearly ruined Kaiba’s plans that night, and it didn’t seem as if Kaiba had gone out since then. Not that he was keeping a close eye on Kaiba around the manor.

There had always been some kind of chemistry between them. Two passionate personalities opposing each other, but life had dried up Joey’s passion. Kaiba also seemed restless. Too long working the same job without any changes, Joey figured. Neither of them had that same fire anymore, though Joey could feel the embers flare being near Kaiba again. The challenge, the opposing personalities rubbing off on each other. Some things never changed.

Joey wanted to ask Kaiba if there was more to them being here together, under the same roof. Kaiba couldn’t have known about his sexual preferences, but he wondered if Kaiba maybe had a gut feeling. The type Kaiba had described wasn’t exactly too far off from himself, and he wondered if maybe, just maybe, Kaiba found him attractive. 

He scoffed to himself, stating out loud, “Yeah, right.”

A quiet knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. He stood up, wondering who could be seeking him out in the middle of the night, as he went to answer the door. Outside stood Kentaro, rubbing at tears in his eyes and holding a stuffed Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The plush almost made Joey laugh, but he was too worried about the tears to let himself.

“What’s up, Ken?” he asked softly, kneeling on the floor to be eye level with him.

“I had a bad dream,” the five-year-old whined.

“Awww.” Joey felt a bit odd that Kentaro had come to him to take care of the situation. “Why don’t ya go talk to your mom and dad?”

“They… they’ll tell tme to be a big boy and that it’s okay. But… But… Can I sleep with you?” he asked, teary eyes pleading for permission.

Joey could hardly say no to the request, especially with the teary expression on Kentaro’s face. “Sure thing,” Joey said. “Come on in.”

Kentaro hurried into his room and climbed in bed. Joey laid back down next to him, watching as the kid quickly fell asleep. He’d just needed an adult presence to know that everything was okay, and Joey didn’t mind filling that role. He reached out and ruffled the kid’s dark brown hair, smiling. Soon Adam and Alyssa would be here, and he’d get to do similar stuff with them again.

If nothing else, Kaiba had given him an opportunity to spend time with his kids again. Whether or not Kaiba had known about his orientation, if there was some ulterior motive to him living in the Kaiba manor, it mattered far less to Joey than seeing his kids. No matter what happened going forward, whatever sparks ignited between him and Kaiba, Joey would remain thankful for the opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now they're questioning things. Whee!
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. ^^ More to come soon!


	3. Ill-Advised Crush

Despite the conversation, not much changed between him and Kaiba. Though the last several nights Kaiba had tracked him down to invite him to come have a drink, and Joey didn't deny the request. Admittedly, he was lonely, and he assumed Kaiba must have been, too, to be seeking him out for company. They sat, they drank, and Joey rambled about whatever came to mind. It almost felt like therapy, just talking without Kaiba saying much back.

A nagging voice in the back of his head tried to convince him that Kaiba wanted more than just a nightly drinking buddy. Joey wrote it off as nothing more than a whimsical thought brought on by their sudden proximity. Other than Tristan and his co-workers, he saw the Kaiba family the most. That Seto Kaiba suddenly had become more tolerant of his presence didn’t mean anything.

By the second week, it had settled into a routine, and Joey would walk to the bar immediately after arriving home. If Kaiba wasn’t already there, he would show up shortly after. They'd drink a bit, not enough to get drunk but enough to feel loose and relaxed. Comfortable. He never expected to feel comfortable around Kaiba, but somehow, it had happened. A few drinks, a little patience, and bearing the secrets both of them kept proved to be a rather effective balm.

Kaiba had calmed down considerably. He no longer acted as though Joey's presence was a personal offense to him. Kaiba still had that unique ability of getting under his skin in ways no one else could, but it was different now. More subtle. More teasing. It left Joey curious about where this sudden relationship they'd developed was heading.

The first interruption of their routine came on the third Friday night, when his ex-wife came over to drop off the kids. Joey was excited to see them again, and he'd been chattering away about it at every given opportunity to anyone who'd listen. He'd talked to Kaiba about it every single night for the past week, and he'd been surprised that the brunet hadn't stopped him at any point.

He paced just inside the front door, eagerly awaiting their arrival. It drew sympathetic looks from Mokuba, who eventually told him to sit down. Ken was excited, too, looking forward to meeting new friends. Joey sat down, but he could barely contain himself. The constant fidgeting must have eventually gotten on Mokuba nerves, because the younger Kaiba heaved an exasperated sigh before standing up and leaving the room.

The doorbell rang, and Joey darted to answer the door, throwing it open. Alyssa stood gazing up at him with wide eyes, and Emily's expression was much the same. Adam seemed less enraptured with the opulence of the Kaiba mansion and raced to him, and Joey immediately snatched him up, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Wow, Joey," Emily commented, "I wasn't expecting something like this when you told me you found a new place to stay."

"The Kaibas were nice enough to offer me a room."

"The Kaibas?!" Alyssa exclaimed in question, looking up at him in awe, excitement brightening her expression.

Joey looked at her, intrigued. She had recognized the name, and Joey had to wonder why. “What do ya know about the Kaibas, Alyssa?”

She flushed, averting her gaze. “Umm… nothin’,” she murmured, an obvious lie.

“Don’t lie to your father,” Emily scolded, rolling her eyes. “She’s turned into a big fan of Duel Monsters recently.”

An unstoppable smile spread across Joey’s face. “Jus’ like your old man, huh?” he asked, patting her gently on the shoulder.

She looked up at him then, smiling brightly and nodding her head. “I wanna learn how to play!”

“Okay,” Joey agreed, “I’ll teach ya this weekend.”

Mokuba walked into the foyer with Ken trailing behind him bashfully and introductions were exchanged.

Emily laughed. “I remember Joey telling me that he’d gone to school with your brother, Mokuba. I just never thought I’d be here.”

“I never thought Joey would be here either. He and Seto didn’t exactly get along,” Mokuba admitted. “But it’s nice having him around. Ken really likes him.”

“Me and your brother been gettin’ along alright,” Joey interjected.

“Shockingly.”

While they talked, Joey noticed Ken walk up to Adam. Without a word, the two disappeared down the hall, ducking into the TV room, almost certainly off to play some video game. Joey chuckled to himself. At Mokuba’s questioning look, he explained, “Looks like they’re already buddies.”

Mokuba looked around him before shaking his head, amused. “Of course they are. I can’t say I’m surprised. Ken wouldn’t stop talking about how he was going to make new friends today.”

Emily giggled. “Sounds like Adam didn’t have much of a choice.”

“He sure didn’t,” Mokuba agreed.

After some more casual conversation, Mokuba invited Emily to stay for dinner, which she declined. “I’m going to head home and let Joey have as much time with them as he can. They're so excited to see him.”

She headed out after that, leaving Joey and Mokuba standing in the foyer with Alyssa. “So… your mom said ya like duelin’?” Joey asked her.

“She does?” Mokuba asked, intrigued.

“I do,” she assured. “I watched some of Daddy’s old duels, and I want to be like him.”

It was at that precise moment that Kaiba walked down the stairs, catching Alyssa’s words. “Is that so, Miss Wheeler?” he asked.

She startled at his silent approach. “Ah, um… uh… yes, Mister Kaiba,” she answered quietly, embarrassed.

He laughed, mirthful and entertained. "Suit yourself," he said with a shrug, "but you can ask me if you'd like a better teacher."

Joey was about to tell him off, but a glance at his daughter told him she was awestruck. She nodded her head vigorously, eyes glimmering with excitement, and Joey knew Kaiba was someone she looked up to. So instead, he shook his head and showed her to her room she’d be using for the weekend while Kaiba disappeared into the kitchen.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. They all swam in the pool after dinner, Joey splashing the kids with water and throwing them in the water one at a time. Their playing was cut short as the sky dimmed, and Rosie called for Ken to come in for bed. They all headed in for bed after that, Joey ensuring Adam and Alyssa found their assigned room and were cleaned up and in pajamas. He bid them both good night before heading downstairs and finding the bar area empty. He frowned and headed to Kaiba’s office, hoping to find the brunet inside. His knock on the door received no response, so he cautiously peeked in. Empty.

Defeated, he hung his head and trudged back to bed. Kaiba had either gone to bed too or gone out alone. He slid beneath the comforter and wondered if Kaiba was out finding himself a hookup. Joey didn’t think Kaiba had done that since he'd moved in, but he’d have been lying if he said he wasn’t a little jealous.

The realization spread slowly, and the longer he fixated on it, the more envious he felt. He wanted to spend time with Kaiba. He wanted Kaiba’s attention. Their evening drinks had become something of the highlight of his day over the last few weeks, and the idea that someone else was getting that attention had him upset.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered to himself, chuckling.

The door to his room creaked open, and he looked to see who it was. Adam. His son shuffled to the bed and then climbed in beside him without a word. Moments later, Ken snuck into his room, as well, crawling in next to his other side. Joey smiled, shaking his head, but thankfully his thoughts had been sidetracked. He could worry about Kaiba later. Right now, he would focus on the kids he finally had a chance to be with.

-

Saturday brought about its own adventure, with Mokuba taking everyone except Kaiba out for a day at KaibaLand. The entire time, Adam and Kentaro chatted about monsters, dragons, and dinosaurs nonstop, a surefire sign that the two had become fast friends. Joey didn’t find that surprising. However, Alyssa stayed beside him with a Duel Monsters art book in hand and talking about the game, asking him questions about deck building and strategies. Emily had been spot on; Alyssa very clearly loved the game.

“I wanna go to Mister Kaiba’s Duel Academy,” she admitted after a while, her voice small and unsure.

“Ah, Alyssa, that’s awesome,” Joey said, both surprised and also guilty. There was no way he could afford to send her there, and he didn’t think Emily or her husband could afford that extra expense either, not with the new house and the baby.

“Mommy says we’ll have to see when I’m old enough to go, but I really really want to go, Daddy.” She gazed up at him, her eyes full of longing and passion, and it hurt. He knew what it felt like to want something so bad and have it dangling just out of reach. Her passion reminded him that he used to have that desire and drive, too.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Joey said, heaving a sigh.

Mokuba sidled up beside them, and commented, “I heard you talking about the Duel Academy…”

“Yeah, Mister Mokuba. I’d like to go when I’m old enough.”

“That would be pretty cool,” Mokuba said. “You could probably get a scholarship, especially if you start playing in the junior leagues and do well. Plus, you’ve got some name recognition, anyway. It’s been a few years now, but Joey Wheeler isn’t exactly a nobody in dueling circles.”

She nodded excitedly. “Yeah. They talk about Daddy sometimes on forums and stuff.”

“All good stuff, I hope?” Joey threw out cautiously. He knew better, of course. There were plenty of people who derided and mocked his strategies online, but he hoped Alyssa hadn’t come across anything like that. An uncertain look crept on her face, as she averted her gaze, and Joey’s heart fell. So she had seen some negative stuff about him. Joey offered her his hand. “It’s okay, Alyssa. You don’t have to tell me. I know what they say about me.”

“Some of it’s good,” she insisted, taking his hand and squeezing. “I… I don’t like when they talk bad about you, Daddy. I wanna prove them wrong. You’re the best.” She looked up at him, eyes shining in adoration.

He smiled. Nothing made him quite as happy as the unadulterated praise of his kids. “You’ll be the best someday,” he promised. “I’ll make sure of it.”  _ No matter what _ .

“So what kind of deck do you think you want?” Mokuba asked, redirecting the conversation.

“I love the pretty dragons!”

“Pretty dragons?” Joey asked, eyebrow raised.

“Well… there’s so many. But the Blue-Eyes is so pretty and so is the Red-Eyes. Plus there’s Hyozanryu and Exploder Dragon and…” she trailed off, naming as many dragons as she could. Joey wasn’t exactly sure what made them qualify as ‘pretty’, since she listed just about every dragon she could think of. Her enthusiam did make him smile though.

“I could give ya the dragons from my old deck,” Joey offered. “But ya gotta promise to take care of ‘em.”

She grinned up at him, nodding her head vigorously. “Yes, please, Daddy! Please! I’ll take good care of them!”

Joey chuckled. With that settled, he spent the rest of the day, riding rides and playing games. They ate overpriced amusement park food for free, courtesy of Mokuba. It was a blast. Joey could hardly remember having so much fun. Not even as a teenager. He was grateful to Mokuba for the experience. It had been exactly what he needed, and though he hadn’t asked for it, he really appreciated it.

Of course, the day in the warm sun playing at KaibaLand left all of them all exhausted. Mokuba bought everybody an ice cream cone on the way out. Adam tugged on his pants, whining about being tired, so Joey picked him up, carrying him back to the entrance. Alyssa wanted to hold his hand, so he had to scarf down the rest of his chocolate cone to accomodate her. He didn’t mind. He was so happy to get to spend time with them like this. On the ride back, they both fell asleep, leaning their heads on him. He hadn’t felt so warm or fulfilled in such a long time. He’d need to thank Mokuba for this. And he really needed to thank Kaiba for it, too.

-

Joey woke up the next morning to find that all three kids had sneaked into bed with him. Mokuba’s daughter, Sora, was missing because she was far too young to wander by herself at night. Otherwise, it was a bed full of children. He crept out of bed, needing to go to the bathroom, but he realized that, in his complete exhaustion the previous night, he hadn’t bothered to see if Kaiba had been around. He hadn’t seen Kaiba at all since the brief comment he’d made to Alyssa on Friday evening, and he really did want to thank him.

Joey felt a small pang of guilt. Kaiba had probably been lonely while Joey was occupied with his kids. Kaiba had been fully aware that Joey wanted to spend all of his spare moments with Alyssa and Adam, but it seemed unfair to completely ditch the brunet. They were… friends now. No… maybe not friends, exactly, but they were definitely something now. Regular drinking buddies? Conversation partners? Enough of whatever it was that Joey felt a little jealous at the idea of Kaiba hanging out and drinking with someone else. Joey couldn’t exactly classify what their relationship had become, but he did miss seeing Kaiba even if it had only been less than 48 hours.

It prompted him into sneaking out of his room, leaving the kids sleeping, to go find Kaiba. It wasn’tt super early in the morning, about 6:30, and Kaiba kept a regular schedule, even on the weekends. He would no doubt be awake already, and Joey hoped he could find him in the manor somewhere.

The kitchen, dining room, and study all turned up empty, which struck Joey as weird because those were all the places Kaiba should have been this early on a Sunday morning. Unless he was still in bed. Gulping, Joey drew his courage to creep toward the door. It felt ominous. Foreboding even. It was a just a door, but Joey could only imagine the wrath he might face if he invaded Kaiba’s personal space. Still, just a peek wouldn’t hurt. Hell, he probably kept the door locked, and Joey wouldn’t even be able to get in at all.

Joey reached out and, much to his surprise, the handle turned, and Joey opened it slowly to reveal Kaiba’s bedroom. He stood there in the doorway, taking in the dimly lit room. It was… just a room, Joey realized. Nothing really special or as eccentric as he might have expected from the usually over-the-top brunet. Hardwood floors like the rest of the manor, white walls, navy bedding without a single item out of place. The bed was empty, though the disheveled sheets suggested that Kaiba had at least slept here overnight.

He stepped into the room without thinking, letting the door close behind him. Shit. What even was he doing here? As luck would have it, the door to the en suite bathroom opened, revealing Kaiba with damp hair and a towel around his waist. Freshly showered. Naked.

“What are you doing here?” Kaiba questioned, and Joey couldn’t tell if he was angry or amused or somewhere in between. His tone was completely unreadable.

“Um… I hadn’t seen ya all weekend.”

“So you barged into my bedroom?”

Joey laughed nervously. “I’ll just… uh… leave.” Except he couldn’t take his eyes off Kaiba’s exposed chest, all muscled and defined and sexy and shit.

Shit.

Shit. 

Shit.

Fuck.

“Then leave,” Kaiba said, tone flat and almost… bored. “Why are you still standing there?”

“I uh… Yeah, I’ll do that.”

Joey’s heart raced in his chest as he turned around to reach for the door. He couldn’t help taking one last look before the door closed. Kaiba stood, back toward him and completely nude. That fluttering, sick feeling gripped his chest, and he knew it could only mean one thing. He had a crush on Kaiba.

Joey wandered to the dining room in a state of disbelief, sitting down and letting his head flop down on the tabletop with a resounding  _ thwack _ . He started laughing hysterically. This was a stupid, dumb joke. Utterly impossible. But Kaiba in front of him all nude and appealing, his jealousy. It all added up to one thing.

He startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Pulse racing at the shock, he looked up to see Rosie standing beside him. “Um… you okay, Joey?” she asked.

“I’m an idiot,” he said, covering his face with his hands.

“That’s… I mean, I don’t think you are, but you do look kind of crazy sitting in the dining room laughing like a mad man.”

“Yeah, well, I have the most ill-advised crush ever so, I’m prolly stupid and crazy,” Joey said, brushing his bangs back with a groan.

“That’s cute,” she said, grinning at him. “Who is it?”

“Not sayin’.”

Kaiba, who seemed to have a penchant for walking into rooms at the most inopportune moment, happened walked in from the kitchen, muttering good morning to them both before promptly exiting. Joey couldn’t help watching him go, eyes drawn to his taut ass as he left.

Rosie patted his arm roughly, tittering as she did so. “Oh! That’s a good one.”

“What?” he asked, defensive.

She gave him an impish wink, her mouth twisted into a smirk. “Listen, Seto Kaiba might be kind of an enigma to most, but I know a thing or two about him thanks to Mokuba. And all I’m saying is that you should go for it.”

He scowled at her. “It ain’t that easy with Kaiba.”

She snorted. “Trust me. It really is.” She made a lewd gesture, miming a blow job while poking her tongue to the side of her cheek.

Joey flushed, looking away. Okay, so maybe Rosie really was the troublemaker she claimed to be. And maybe the suggestion wasn’t all that bad. Kaiba had been looking for a hookup the night they’d run into each other, so maybe he’d take up a sexual offer like that. But that didn’t make it any less embarrassing.

“Whatever,” Joey muttered.

“All I’m saying is that it wouldn’t hurt to try. If he didn’t have some kind of interest in you, you wouldn’t be here. He’s not the ‘do a favor for an old friend’ kind of guy.”

Joey nodded. That was true, and in line with what he’d believed all along. Kaiba had other reasons for having Joey around, and maybe that reason was that Kaiba was interested in him, too. Making a move, or at least bringing up his feelings, couldn’t hurt. Well, it could potentially get him kicked out of his brand new living arrangement. “Maybe… I’ll give it a try,” he hesitantly agreed. “But definitely after the kids go home.” Because he wouldn’t chance getting kicked out while they were still around.

“You’ve got my support. And Mokuba’s, even though I won’t mention this to him. I just know he’ll support you. We like you, Joey. Ken likes you. You’re like… family. So no matter what happens, we’ve got your back.”

That helped. A lot. “Thanks,” he said. “Like for everything.”

“Don’t mention it,” Rosie said, a grin still on her face. “So… why don’t we get some breakfast together? Those crazy kids in your bed are going to be up before long.”

Joey chuckled. “Yeah. Sure thing.”

Now he had the day to figure out exactly what he would say to Kaiba. It felt like way too little time, but a day would have to be enough.

_ Just gotta run your mouth like always, Joey,  _ he told himself.  _ You got this _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left. Here's hoping that confession goes well!


	4. Companion

The day blew by, and before he knew it, Emily was standing in the foyer, talking to him and Mokuba. Kaiba weighed heavily on his mind, though he hadn’t seen the brunet since the morning. That almost made things worse.

“You okay, Joey?” Emily asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

She frowned at him. “You seem on edge.”

“S’nothin’.”

She pulled a face, not believing him, but she didn’t press for an explanation. With an exasperated huff, she announced. “These kids don’t want to leave.”

Joey nodded. They certainly didn’t. Adam and Ken were chasing each other around with foam swords, play fighting. Alyssa sat at the table, a pile of cards in front of her. Key parts of Joey’s deck, but fortified with cards that Mokuba had given her from Kaiba’s vast collection. 

Emily tried again, calling, “Come on, you two. We gotta get home.”

Neither of them reacted, so Joey cleared his throat. “Alyssa and Adam, I know you heard your mother.”

Reluctantly, Alyssa packed up her new deck, and Adam walked over, with Ken trailing behind him. Kaiba glided down the stairs, making his second planned appearance of the day, but Joey didn't have time to follow after him. He seemed to be heading toward the kitchen, which would likely mean he'd go the bar after eating.

Goodbyes were exchanged, Ken and Adam giving each other hugs and promising each other they'd get to play again soon. Alyssa have Mokuba and Rosie hugs, as well, thanking them for letting her stay and see her dad. She then wrapped her arms around Joey's waist, pressing her face into Joey's stomach.

"Bye, Daddy," she said. "Thank you for the cards, too. I'll build a good deck and win duels so I can get that scholarship. Count on me."

He smiled down at her warmly, rubbing her back. "Have fun with them. That's more important than winnin'. But ol' Red-Eyes ought to help ya out some."

She beamed up at him, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead before she bounced over to her mom. Adam gave him a hug next, telling him goodbye. Joey watched them leave, sad to see them go, but so happy that he’d gotten to see them again after so long. Ken came up and held his hand. “I miss Adam,” the five-year-old announced.

“He’ll be here again,” Mokuba said. “You’ll get to play with him as much as you want then, okay?”

“Okay,” Ken agreed.

Joey smiled. “Hey, thanks again, Mokuba. This weekend was amazin’.”

“It’s no problem. I doubt I’ll have time to play around with all of them like that again the next time they’re here. I enjoyed myself. And it was good seeing you have fun, too. You’re so serious anymore. Not at all like the Joey I remember.”

Joey chuckled nervously. “Life, ya know? It has a way ‘a doin’ that to people.”

“Yeah. You grow up and have to act the part,” Mokuba agreed. “Well, I’m glad you had a good time. And we’ll have more fun the next time, too.”

Joey nodded, and then Mokuba dragged him to dinner. He was eager to go talk to Kaiba, but that could wait another half an hour longer.

-

With the kids gone and dinner finished, Rosie’s advice weighed heavily on Jounouchi’s mind. He had no plans of following through with her suggestion. Dropping and giving Kaiba a blowjob seemed little much to start with, though the idea wasn’t unappealing. He chuckled at himself, trying to dispel the nerves. He’d have given himself hell for thinking that just a couple of years ago. Back before he’d come to terms with himself.

He stepped into the bar area only to discover Kaiba’s absense. The man was as stealthy as a ghost, disappearing and reappearing without a sound. Joey definitely had seen him come this way though, so it was hard to say where else he could have gone. He sighed and went to look for Kaiba in his study, hoping for the best as he trudged up the stairs. He knocked on the door, and receiving no response, he simply turned around to go to his room, utterly defeated. He’d missed Kaiba. He wanted to see Kaiba.

He was just about to his door when he heard footsteps approaching from behind him. “Wheeler,” Kaiba said tersely. “You didn’t give me time to answer the door.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s go have a drink,” Kaiba suggested.

And Joey followed along behind him, trying to find words. Okay, so maybe he should get a few drinks down before fessing up. The embarrassment already gnawed as his belly, and he didn't think some liquid courage would hurt.

It was quieter than usual as Joey sat down and sipped at the whiskey Kaiba had handed him. Uncomfortably quiet. Probably because he wasn’t talking. He swallowed a large gulp of his drink. Okay. Talking. Yeah. He could do that.

“So uh… what were ya up to this weekend?” Joey asked hesitantly.

“Not much.”

“Oh. Did ya go out? I didn’t see ya around.”

“You were busy, so yes, I did.”

Joey deflated. So Kaiba had gone out to find other company... The jealousy twisted it’s way around him, but so did the embarrassment. “That’s good, I guess,” Joey muttered, glum.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Did you enjoy the time with your kids?"

"Yeah. Thank you for everythin', by the way. Everythin' was perfect. They had a great time. Only thing missin' was you."

Kaiba scoffed. "Me? Hardly."

Joey shook his head. "I mean it. I missed ya a lot."

“It was only two days.”

“I uh… I like bein’ with ya, Kaiba,” Joey said softly. "Maybe that's crazy after everythin' that happened in the past, but it's different now. We're different now. These last few weeks have been real nice, hangin' out and all. Nicer 'an most stuff in my life recently."

The words made Kaiba soften, nearly imperceptibly except Joey could see his expression relax, his shoulders slump ever so slightly. “I...concur.”

“So ya like bein’ with me?”

Kaiba nodded.

“Did… did ya miss me too?” Joey asked, hopeful.

“I suppose," Kaiba replied with a shrug. "It wasn't all that long of an absence.”

Joey would take that as a yes. “I was… wonderin’ actually. I know ya said ya were lookin’ for a hookup when ya first ran into me. And ya don’t have to say nothin’ cuz it ain’t none of my business, but like… did ya ever do that? I kinda ruined your chances then, and seriously, you really don’t have to say nothin’, but I’m curious.” Only for himself. To weigh his own chances.

Kaiba gave him an unreadable look as he babbled on. “Why should it matter?”

“Because uh… um…” Joey stammered, trying to find the words. “I guess it don’t.”

“If you must know, I didn’t.”

“Oh… Why?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes, huffing. “Forget it. This is asinine,” Kaiba said, abruptly standing up and leaving.

Joey watched him walk away, until finally it registered that Kaiba had left, and he sprang into action, following after him. Kaiba, using his long legs to his advantage, had made it to the top of the stairs by the time Joey caught up to him and snatched up his wrist. “What’s asinine, Kaiba?”

“You are. This is.”

“What is?”

“You don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?” Joey asked confused.

Kaiba jerked his arm out of Joey’s grip, and before he could react, Kaiba pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his lips. He withdrew just as quickly, heading to his bedroom and leaving Joey reeling at the top of the staircase. Joey rubbed his fingers against his lips absentmindedly, in a daze. There was no way that had just happened, right? Kaiba definitely hadn’t just kissed him, right?

Except Kaiba definitely had.

As the realization spread through him, Joey darted for Kaiba’s bedroom door. He let himself in without a second thought, hesitating only when he saw Kaiba standing at the foot of his bed with his shirt half unbuttoned and hair a tousled mess. Joey gulped and took a deep breath to steady himself before launching into what it was he’d meant to say all night.

“Okay, so like, I’m surprised that ya kissed me, but I need to tell ya somethin’. I got… mmm. I got the hots for ya  too. I’d been kinda like… weighin’ the possibility since ya came out to me, but it’s just gotten more of a thing. ‘Specially after this weekend. Ya weren’t around and fuck, man, I missed bein’ with ya. Like when I thought of ya fuckin’ someone else, I got all jealous and shit. So like… can I kiss ya? For real?”

Joey had kept his gaze focused on the floor, too busy rushing out his confession in an effort to keep Kaiba from cutting him off before he’d gotten everything out in the open. Hazarding a look, he met Kaiba’s sapphire eyes, an entirely un-Kaiba-like gleam in them. Hope or happiness or lust? Joey wasn’t sure. But Kaiba closed the distance between them, and their lips met yet again.

Kaiba’s arms snaked around his waist, pulling him close. The contact felt good. Warm and soothing, and Joey let himself relax into Kaiba’s embrace, opening his mouth to let their tongues meet. Hot, wet, leaving his whole body thrumming with anticipation. It had been so long since the last time anyone had touched him.

With a level of finesse that Joey hadn't expected, Kaiba dipped his head lower, nipping at the sensitive skin on Joey’s neck. “Fuck,” Joey breathed as he tilted his head to the side, eyelids fluttering.

Kaiba chuckled against his neck, his breath tickling Joey’s skin, before kissing him softly. “So it seems we’re on the same page, then?”

“If it’s fallin’ down in that fancy-ass bed of yours and gettin’ it on, hell yes.”

“That’s about what I was thinking,” Kaiba murmured, voice deep and alluring so close to Joey's ear. In moments, they were stripped bare, scrambling into bed together quickly in order to lock lips yet again. Kaiba pushed Joey back against the mattress, and Joey easily accommodated, allowing space for Kaiba to settle between his legs.

The trail of kisses and bite marks that Kaiba had made down his torso left Joey incredibly aroused. His cock stood tall, eager for more, especially as Kaiba made his way closer and closer to it. It left him in a hazy, lust-addled state. Maybe it was because it had been so long since he'd last been in bed with someone. Or maybe it was specifically because it was Kaiba. Whatever the case, his body buzzed with need, and everywhere Kaiba touched erupted with searing heat.

He moaned in absolute pleasure as Kaiba finally stroked his cock, grip light and teasing but still firm. Joey rocked his hips forward, eager for more, and Kaiba obliged, moving his hand with practiced ease.

"Get me the lube from the nightstand," Kaiba said before placing teasing kisses on Joey's inner thigh as he continued to stroke.

Joey fumbled to do so, not knowing exactly where he was looking but trying just the same, even as his thoughts were utterly muddled by the pleasure Kaiba was giving him. He found the tube, grabbed it up, and offered it to Kaiba, who took it into his free hand before withdrawing. Joey heard the cap click open and had to fight back a shudder. He'd done this before. Only once. And it hadn't been his favorite sexual experience, but he'd try again for Kaiba.

A single finger dipped inside of him, cool and wet, and Kaiba moved it around rhythmically. Joey couldn’t help squirming, finding the digit somewhat uncomfortable. Kaiba slid a second finger in, and Joey gasped. It hurt, but it felt good, too.

Kaiba, noticing his discomfort, leaned forward. "Relax, Joseph. It'll feel better once you do."

Before Joey could retort over the use of his name, Kaiba had ducked his head lower still, running his tongue along the underside of Joey's cock before taking his full length. The result was instantaneous. As Kaiba bobbed his head, vigorously sucking Joey off, his fingers worked Joey open. The pleasure of having his dick sucked distracted him, making the initial discomfort melt into pleasure, and then Kaiba pressed somewhere inside of him that had white hot need coursing through him so hard he saw stars.

"Fuck. Oh fuck, Kaiba. Shit," Joey sputtered, his body hurtling toward orgasm faster than he'd have imagined possible. It just felt too good. "I'm gonna… I'm gonna fuckin' cum."

Seconds later, he did, release wracking his body in ecstasy, as Kaiba sucked him clean. Kaiba pulled away, surprising Joey by swallowing with an audible gulp. He'd have sworn Kaiba would spit that out. It was kinda hot that he hadn't. The massive erection between Kaiba's legs was more than a little hot too, and despite having just cum, Joey wanted it inside him. He was stretched and loose post-orgasm, Kaiba clearly knew what he was doing and was skilled at it, and he wanted Kaiba bad.

"Fuck me, Seto," Joey whispered, breathless, unaware of using Kaiba's given name until it left his lips. A flush bloomed across his cheeks, and swiftly and tenderly Kaiba kissed his way up Joey's torso. He stopped at Joey's neck, rolling the skin in his teeth, drawing out moans, though honestly, that was probably more from the way the tip of Kaiba's erection prodded at his entrance. "Seto...please," he whined.

"Keep calling me that," Kaiba breathed against his neck. "It's fucking sexy."

Joey nodded, and then Kaiba pushed into him, spreading him open further than the fingers had, somewhat painful, but Joey knew he would adjust. Kaiba didn't move much while Joey took deep breaths to steady himself. He did, however, move his lips to meet Joey's, open-mouth kisses that Joey eagerly returned. Their tongues danced against each other, and the taste of his own cum lingering on Kaiba's, while bitter, was definitely doing things for him. He was getting hard again.

As his own arousal grew, he needed Kaiba to move. To give him release. He arched his hips forward, desperate, and Kaiba took that to mean that he was ready. He gently rocked his hips, thrusting into Joey carefully, kissing him sloppily. Nudges against that same spot, his prostate Joey vaguely recalled, had him seeing stars yet again. It was hot. He felt as though he was on fire, burning from the inside out as Kaiba increased his pace. Joey met him thrust for thrust, delirium mounting as his climax approached.

Kaiba settled his forehead on Joey's shoulder, mumbling words Joey couldn't understand, but he held the brunet close as his end drew near. Kaiba's pace slowed, drawing out the last few moments, and Joey came again, ejaculating on both of their stomachs as the rush of euphoria overcame him.

"Joseph," Kaiba mewled, kissing up to his neck, his jaw, before meeting his lips in a searing kiss. Kaiba's whole body tensed as he came too, loud, breathy moans escaping him with each exhaled breath. They stayed there, joined together and unmoving save for their heaving chests, for several minutes. Kaiba kissed him gently on the cheek before finally rolling off, leaving Joey feeling empty and raw.

Kaiba stood up out of bed, and Joey rolled to face him, disappointed. "Where ya goin'?"

"To clean up," Kaiba said softly, gazing back at him. "I'll be back."

And he did so only seconds later, a damp cloth in his hand, which he handed to Joey. Joey wiped up the mess, both his and Kaiba's, as best as he could. Kaiba took the cloth back when he was done, putting it in what seemed to he a laundry shoot before climbing back into bed.

Joey couldn't help snuggling against him once he settled, and clearly Kaiba didn't mind, because he held Joey close and ran his fingers along Joey's back. Joey sighed, content. It had been over a year since his last time, and never once had he been so satisfied. He'd never really enjoyed the handful of hookups he’d had after the split with Emily, and with Emily, he'd enjoyed it at the time, but he also hadn't known what he was missing. He hadn't known how much better it would get with a man.

"That was really fantastic, Kaiba," Joey complimented honestly.

"Keep calling me Seto."

"O-okay. You can keep callin' me Joseph or whatever, too, if ya want."

Kaiba stayed silent after that, his breaths slow and comforting. They were tranquil, relaxing, and Joey's eyelids fluttered as sleep snuck up on him. Worn out and extremely contented with Kaiba's warmth next to him, Joey let himself sleep.

-

Mokuba raised an eyebrow, suspicious at how weird Joey was acting. Slinking around, head bowed, and jumpy. Something was definitely going on.

Kentaro walked in, giving him and Rosie a good morning hug and then walking over to Joey with a pout on his face. “Mister Joey, why didn’t you come to bed last night?” his son asked.

Joey looked panicked, eyes darting as he tried to find an answer. Mokuba knew Ken snuck in to sleep with Joey pretty regularly, so that wasn’t an issue. But why hadn’t Joey gone to bed?

“I uh… I was hangin’ out with your uncle,” Joey finally answered.

“All night?” Ken protested.

Joey flushed red, nodding, and Mokuba put the pieces together. Oh ho. That was an interesting development. Mokuba cleared his throat. “What did you and Seto do all night, Joey?” Mokuba asked with a sly grin on his face.

Joey’s face turned beet red, utterly embarrassed. “Talked and uh… other stuff.”

“I’m sure the ‘other stuff’ was the best part,” Rosie said, feigning innocence as she fed Sora breakfast. From the look on her face, she had clearly already known what Joey and Seto had gotten up to. 

“What ‘other stuff’?” Ken asked, whining.

“Just things grown ups do with each other, honey,” she said sweetly. “We’ll tell you when you’re older, okay?”

“Mommy!” he complained. “What does it mean?”

Seto walked in at that moment, striding to his seat at the head of the table and sitting down, completely silencing all conversation except for Ken's whining. Mokuba fought down a laugh as Ken walked up to Seto and demanded, "Uncle Seto, what did you do with Mister Joey last night?"

Seto blinked in surprise, clearly taken aback, which was not a look Mokuba was used to seeing his brother wear. The attempt, however, was futile, as Seto quickly recovered. "We were simply enjoying each other's company, Kentaro. Similar to what you did with Adam this weekend."

Mokuba scrunched his face in distaste. That was a terrible comparison. Also, how had Seto even known that Ken and Adam has been inseparable? He'd been MIA for the entire weekend.

"Oh!" Ken said, seeming to understand. "Well, I guess that's fine. But we gotta share him, okay, Uncle Seto?"

“I don’t know. I’m rather selfish, and I’m not sure I want to.”

“Mommy and Daddy say you have to share! That’s the rules!”

Mokuba fought back a laugh. There was no way that argument would work on Seto, but he gave Ken props for trying. However, Seto seemed to ponder the argument. “I suppose a night or two a week could be arranged.”

Joey still sat, face bright red. “Yeah,” he agreed. “That would be fine.” Mokuba looked at him, calculating, and finally noticed the hickies marring his neck. Oh, he and Seto had definitely had a good time. But Mokuba did find it fascinating that Seto was so… settled about things. Sharing Joey a night or two meant that Seto would be with him the others. It was almost as if they had started dating, but Mokuba couldn’t be sure. To his knowledge, Seto had never dated anyone.

He finished his breakfast, keeping a close eye on Joey and Seto. Nothing seemed different between them, except for the fact that they’d definitely had sex. He was just going to have to ask them both. So he waited for Rosie to wander away with the kids, and then said, “Okay, spill. What’s going on with you two?”

“We have work this morning, Mokuba,” Seto admonished.

“Yeah so? I’m gonna pester you until you tell me, so you might as well tell me now. Saves us both the effort.”

Seto stood up, shaking his head. He gave Joey’s shoulder a squeeze as he walked by, and Joey watched him leave, mouth hanging open. When Seto disappeared, Joey turned his attention back to Mokuba, who huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to tell me anything, Joey. I want Seto to explain. But you can if you want.”

A nervous laugh escaped him. “I dunno. Last night we sat down and started talkin’ and then we ended up sleepin’ together.”

“Did he say anything to you this morning?”

Joey shrugged. “Not really. I left while he was in the shower.”

“Think you’ll be doing it again?”

“I mean… sounds like he wants to, don’t it? And I ain’t opposed.”

That was enough of an answer for Mokuba for now. He stood up and excused himself, trying to track down Seto, but he quickly realized his brother had already left for the day. He grumbled about it while finishing his morning routine. He stopped in to give Rosie and the kids goodbye kisses, and then he went to work.

His first stop was Seto’s office, because if Seto was going to avoid him like this, he was going to make good on that promise to pester him. And nothing would bother him quite like being grilled on personal matters during work. He didn’t bother knocking, barging in and flopping down on a chair while Seto pretended to ignore him while on the telephone.

“I know you aren’t paying attention to that teleconference,” Mokuba said. “You never do.”

Seto kept his gaze focused on his computer screen, giving no indication that he’d heard.

“It’s okay to be embarrassed, you know? But I don’t want you messing with Joey’s feelings. Him being around has really made the house fun, and I don’t want you two being awkward and ruining it.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Seto retorted.

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

Seto sighed. “We didn’t have a chance to discuss how… we’re going to proceed. I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

“Oh.” That made sense, at least. He stood up and walked to the door. He turned around and said, “Tell me once you do.”

Seto waved him away, and Mokuba chuckled as he left.

-

Kaiba didn’t often feel nervous, but approaching the manor after work and knowing he needed to speak with Joey had him nervous. He forewent dinner, opting to go straight to the bar to take the edge off his nerves with a drink or two. He poked at his phone, swapping between apps because none of them were providing the kind of distraction he wanted. Within fifteen minutes, Joey quietly walked in, joining him. Infuriatingly, he sat down on the couch just out of reach.

“Can we… talk?” Joey asked hesitantly, fiddling with his fingers.

“Talk,” Kaiba said. Because it was easier to let Joey speak than try to form the words himself.

“It’s about last night. I don’t… know what it meant to ya, but I don’t want it to jus’ be a one time thing.”

“I wasn’t intending it to be.”

Joey still fidgeted on the couch, uncomfortable. Kaiba frowned, reaching out to take the blonde’s hand. Joey looked up at him with wide eyes. “Do ya… I dunno… wanna go get dinner?”

“Are you asking me out, Wheeler?”

“If ya want me to. Kaiba.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “I told you to call me Seto.”

Joey shrugged, a grin slowly forming on his face. “Old habits and all that.”

“I will break those habits,” Kaiba announced, leaning over and kissing Joey on the cheek.

“So… this is really happenin’ huh? You and me? Datin’.”

“If that’s what you want, I’m not opposed.”

Joey gave him a hard look, their eyes locked. “Then what do you want, Seto?”

“I told you before. A companion. Someone that understands me. I want that person to be you, and I don’t care what labels are put on our relationship.”

Joey laughed, leaning into his shoulder and wrapping him in a hug. “God, that’s such a you answer. But I’ll take it.”

They stayed like that for several minutes, and Kaiba enjoyed the feeling of Joey’s arms wrapped around him and the scent of his shampoo tickling his nose. It was only when Joey’s stomach grumbled that they parted and stood up. Joey took his hand, dragging him along. “Let’s go. I’m hungry.” Kaiba could definitely get used to this.

-

Kaiba woke to soft giggling, and it took him a moment to realize that his bedroom had been invaded. Joey still slept soundly beside him, unaware of the intrusion. That was until Ken jumped on him, and he woke up with a startled gasp.

“Why couldn’t ya just wake me up?” Joey groaned, rolling toward Kaiba. “Ya ain’t gotta jump on me.”

“It’s fun this way, Mister Joey.”

As Joey’s complaining turned to play tussling with Ken, Kaiba looked around the room, finding Adam standing by the door, uncertain. He cautiously approached the bed. “Daddy, let’s go eat,” he said.

“Hold on, kiddo,” Joey said happily. “Gotta get dressed. If ya get outta here, I’ll be down in a second.”

Both kids left as instructed, and when the door clicked closed, Joey rolled over and hugged Kaiba, clinging to him. “I don’t wanna leave yet.”

“You did promise you would join them.”

“But it’s so nice bein’ here with ya on mornin’s ya don’t work.”

It had been a month since Joey’s kids had last visited, and they were here this weekend. Adam’s presence must have been making Ken feel extra adventurous, as his nephew didn’t usually break into his room. He was glad that he and Joey had simply gone to bed the previous night. They had both been completely dressed which made the intrusion less problematic that he could have been. He should probably start locking the door.

Kaiba enjoyed Joey’s closeness for a few moments more before standing up. With a sigh, Joey did as well. “I’ll take a shower and join you for breakfast in a bit,” Kaiba said.

“Alright.” Joey gave him a kiss, and he headed to the bathroom. Showered and dressed, he headed to the dining room, finding everyone else already downstairs eating. They were leaving today, and honestly, spending time together with everyone had made for a fun and tiring weekend. He’d enjoyed it. Seto Kaiba. Family man. The thought made him smile. Unexpected but no less true.

As breakfast finished, the family dispersed to their own activities. Rosie and Mokuba had planned on a day at the park and were taking Adam with them. This left Kaiba with Joey and Alyssa. It meant he found himself sitting next to Alyssa in the entertainment room while Joey sat across from her on the floor. They were dueling. Kaiba was looking at her cards from behind. For an eight-year-old, her deck wasn’t bad.

Kaiba leaned forward, pointing out a card from above her. “You should play that one,” he said, indicating Monster Reborn. “Then combine it for this.” He pointed at her Red-Eyes.

Her eyes lit up. “Oh yeah!” And she did. She brought back a Gemini Elf from the graveyard and sacrificed it, along with the monster she already had on the field, to summon the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, which she promptly used to finish the duel.

“That’s cheatin’!” Joey protested.

“It’s teaching,” Kaiba countered.

“He’s just helping me.”

Joey grumbled but didn’t complain further. The day stretched on, Kaiba eventually showing her some of the SolidVision technology and letting her play with an older model Duel Disk. She was in awe, so absolutely enamored with it, Kaiba let her keep it. And then she’d hugged him.

“Thank you, Mister Kaiba,” she said, looking up at him.

He smiled down at her, patting her back. “You’re welcome.”

She stepped away, looking at the floor bashfully. “I want to go to your Duel Academy someday. I wanna win a junior championship and get the scholarship, so I’m very glad for your help.”

Kaiba looked at her seriously, seeing the expression in her eyes. The determination and love for the game shining bright within them. He decided right then, without saying a word to anyone, that he’d make sure she went. “I’ll be rooting for you,” he said. He wouldn’t promise her anything. Give her a chance to prove herself, but she would be attending the Duel Academy no matter what.

“Do you love my daddy, Mister Kaiba?” she asked suddenly. “You’re sharing a room like my mommy and my step-dad do. Mommy says that means you love someone.”

Kaiba looked down at her thoughtfully, weighing the question. “I suppose I must,” Kaiba said.

And Joey stood, gaping at the interaction.

Alyssa wandered off after that to put the Duel Disk and her deck away, and Joey nudged Kaiba in the side. “I guess I love ya, too.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes, giving Joey a kiss on the forehead. “Mokuba and the kids will be back soon, and your ex-wife will be here after that. I’ll see you after they’ve left.” Kaiba disappeared after that, slinking to his study. Joey would find him in an hour or two. 

Kaiba allowed himself to slip into a trance while working. He’d been so busy over the weekend that he hadn’t looked at anything work related the entire time. A rarity, but he’d had fun. The backlog did give him plenty to do, and he hadn’t finished by the time Joey knocked on the door, bringing dinner along with him.

“I told Emily about us,” Joey said as he slid a plate in front of Kaiba. Roasted chicken with salad and rice. It smelled delicious. “The kids would have said somethin’ anyway.”

“What did she have to say about it?” Kaiba asked, curious.

“She was happy for me. It wasn’t like we split on bad terms. I was just… ya know, lonely without havin’ someone around. And missin’ my kids. I guess I felt guilty for not bein’ there for ‘em.”

“Which makes you a better father than mine. And yours too, I imagine.”

“I guess so”

“Did you plan on telling anyone else?”

Joey tilted his head to the side, considering. “Eventually. Yugi. Tristan. My sister. That’s prolly everyone.”

“Mmm.” Kaiba took a bite of his chicken. “That’s fair.”

A comfortable silence engulfed them as they both ate their dinner. When finished, Kaiba turned back to his work, trying to get a head start on his work for Monday. Joey played on his phone quietly. He slipped into a trance, and before he knew it, it had gotten late. He glanced at the time, realizing that Joey hadn’t said anything for nearly two hours. Looking around his monitor, he saw the blonde sleeping on the loveseat in his study. He always looked so cute when he was sleeping. Kaiba smiled and stood. He touched Joey’s shoulder, waking him.

“Let’s go to bed.”

Groggily, Joey stood, and Kaiba guided him to the bedroom. He remembered to lock the door behind him this time. He forced Joey to brush his teeth and wash his face, the blonde grumbling the whole time. Kaiba took care of his own nightly ritual, and then he joined Joey in bed. The blonde snuggled against him, murmuring something unintelligible in his sleepy state. Kaiba kissed his forehead. “Sweet dreams, Joseph.” It was easy to drift to sleep after that. Content. Happy. Rekindled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the cheesy end!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one. It wanted to be cute and so it is. XD
> 
> More Idolized and A Score to Settle coming in the future. And I've got a couple more short stories I'm working on, as well. So there will definitely be more from me very soon. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!


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